Machine for boxing or casing cans



March 22 1927. 1,621,743

. A. H. KYLER' MACHINE FOR BOXING OR CASING CANS Filed Jan. 8, 1925 gwmmkw Patented Mar. 22, 192.7.

lJNlTED ST 'QFFICFE.

MACHINE FOR BOXING OR CASING- CANS.

Application filed. January This invention relates to improvements in machines for boxing or casing cans and more particularly to the means for feeding the cans into the machine in tiers.

In boxing or casing machines of the general type illustrated .in Patent No. 1,507 ,387, granted to me on the 2nd day of September, 1924:, some annoyance in the feeding of the cans has been occasioned by reason of engagement of cans with the inner ends of guideways while the cans for the various tiers are being directed to the machine and as they pass through and beyond the feeding hopper. This has caused clogging of cans and the consequent impeding of the rapid operation of which the machine as a whole is capable.

The object of my present invention is to provide simple and efficient means whereby to overcome the difficulties and objections to which allusion has been made and effectually prevent the clogging of cans so that their rapid and uniform feeding will be insured.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in section of the can feeding portion of a can boxing or casing machine, such for example as that shown in my former patent hereinbefore identified.

Figure 2 is a detail view of one form of car1 engaging device which may be employed, an

Figures 3 and 4: illustrate other forms of can engaging devices.

A portion of the frame of the machine is shown at 1 and upon this, a hopper 2 is secured. This hopper includes two side members, each having bottom guideways 3 for directing cans 4: entering from guideways 5 andpassing to guideways 6, by which latter the cans are directed to form the bottom tier .in the machine. The hopper sides are also provided with guideways 7 to direct cans to guideways 8, by which latter, cans are conveyed into the machine for forming the second tier of cans. Horizontal guides 9 are provided on the respective sides of the hopper near the top thereof and from these guides, cans pass to guideway 10 which direct them into the machine to provide the top layer of cans in the latter. When the guideways 3 become filled with cans, cans will 8, 1925. Serial No. 1,231.

then pass over the guides 9 and drop between the inner ends of the latter and the adjacent ends of the guideways 10 and pass over the guideways 7 to the guideways 8 and when these shall have been filled, cans will pass from the guides 9 to the guideways 10. It

will be observed that a stepped runway is formed and it has been found that in pass ing to the guides 9, the cans are liable to engage the outer ends of these guides and thus check or clog the feeding of cans and similar difficulty has been caused by cans engaging the outer ends of the guideways 10 when the underlying guideways shall have become filled or substantially filled.

In order to obviate the checking or clogging of the flow of cans, I provide a device 11 at the outer end of the guideways 9 and at the outer end of the guideways 10 a similar device 12 is located,-s-each of said devices being so constructed and operated as to engage the cans and move or disturb them sufficiently to cause them to continue their travel over the guideways and without conflict with end portions thereof,-thus insuring the continuous uninterrupted feeding of the cans for the several tiers to be boxed or cased simultaneously by the casing or boxing machine.

In one embodiment of my invention, the devices 11 and 12 may each consist of a bar made angular in cross-section so that when said bar is rotated, edge portions thereof will engage the cans in such manner that they will be caused to travel properly over the guideways and without possible conflict with the ends of the latter which would result in clogging. The bars or devices 11 and 12 are revolubly mounted in the side-walls of the hopper 2 and are provided with pulleys, such as indicated at 13 for the accommediation of an endless strap or belt 14 driven by an electric or other motor 15 secured to the frame 1.

When the machine is being operated to boX cans having labels, it is desirable that the can moving or disturbing devices 11 and 12 shall be so constructed as not to engage the labels. In such case, the device may be constructed as shown at 15, Figure 3, in which the end portions 16-16 are made angular so that they will engage the beaded ends of the cans. It is also desirable under certain conditions to cause the can disturbing devices to engage the body portions of the cans (when no labels are on the latter) and not engage the beaded end portions. In such case these devices may be constructed as shown at 17, Figure 4,the body portion of the devices being made angular in crosssection and having circular end portions 18 spaced apart approximately the distance be tween the beaded ends of the cans.

\Vhile I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes might be made in the form andconstruction ot' the candisturbi'ng devices Without departing from the spirit of my invention or limiting its scope and hence I do not Wish to restrict myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully describedmy invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPa-tent, is:

'1. In can-feeding mechanism, the combination of a plurality of guideways arranged one above another in parallel relation, a supply guideway common to all the first-mentioned guideways, and constantly rotating elements in the supply guideway at the en trances to the several parallel guideways, 25

said elements having can-engaging portions of non-circular cross section.

2. In can-teeding mechanism, the combination of a supply guideway, a branch guideivay disposed below the plane of the supply gnideway, and a constantly rotating roller extending across the entrance to the branch guidcway and having a can-engaging portion of non-circular cross-section.

3. In a can-feeding device, the combi-nze tion of a stepped runway having an opening through its bottom at the stepped portion, and a constantly rotating roller extending across the far side of the opening inthe direction of travel of cans along the run Way, said roller having a can-engaging portion of non-circular cross section whereby to joggle the cans and prevent clogging of the opening.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ALBERT HERBERT KYIJER. 

